We all know how important defenses are to our fantasy fortunes. Whether you play IDP, or your fantasy league makes you pick a defense, secondaries will impact your fantasy fortunes. Let’s face it defenses are sexy, and the men who patrol the secondaries are fantasy fortune finders.
Fantasy defenses rely on interceptions, tackles, and sacks you want them all. The secondaries can do all that for you seriously impacting your fantasy fortunes. So, it is important that you know the players and the defenses that will give it to you. Know the weaknesses and know the strengths of the front line, the edge rushers and the secondary of each defense.
Let’s examine three secondary changes impacting your fantasy fortunes this time.
Miami Dolphins’ Secondary
The Miami Dolphins and new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio expect to have one of the top secondaries in the league. They acquired Jalen Ramsey via trade in the off-season. Two players were returning from injuries, and there was hope that their 2020 first-round pick would play better.
Then Ramsey injured his leg and is expected to be out until December. One injured player is on the physical unable-to-perform list, and an undrafted free-agent acquisition outplays the first-round pick. Now the question is, who will play opposite Xavien Howard?
The loss of Ramsey is substantial, the severity only limited by the depth the Dolphins have in the secondary. Trill Williams was initially moved to safety this season, but that could change if injuries keep piling up. Their schedule demands the secondary be better than they were last season.
The Dolphins surrendered 239.3 passing yards a game (28th) and 36.8 average passing attempts per game (30th) while allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete an average of 66.21% of their passes.
“Yeah, I think both of them are making good progress. They’re not where we need them to be just yet, but I think both of them are working hard and giving us good progress, and hopefully, by game one, one of them or somebody else will surface and take that position.”
– Vic Fangio – Dolphins media
Fangio is talking about Cam Smith and Noah Igbinoghene’s training camp performances. It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. This is a secondary that needs to be impactful.
Cam Smith
Smith left the first preseason game with a shoulder injury. The extent of his injury was uncertain.
Nik Needham
Needham was placed on the physical unable to perform list. He injured his Achilles in Week 6 last year.
Kader Kohou
Kohou joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M Commerce. His play last season in the secondary will assure him a place on the team.
In 2022 Kohou (who the fans have nicknamed Darth Kader) spent training camp working inside. Because of injuries, he inherited the starting nickel spot in Week 6. His work in the secondary made an impact on an otherwise lackluster secondary.
Last year he was on the field for 630 coverage snaps. Opposing quarterbacks threw in his coverage 115 times, completing 59.1% of their passes. Although Kohou gave up three touchdowns, he did not allow a touchdown until Week 14. Kohou had one interception and one forced fumble. Pro Football Focus graded him 68.5 overall, which was 36th out of 118 qualifying quarterbacks.
Noah Igbinoghene
Igbinoghene was the 30th overall pick by the Dolphins in the 2020 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, he has not yet lived up to the draft capital.
Igbinoghene stats for his time in Miami are: (stats from Pro Football Reference)
2020: 16 games, 13 total tackles, two fumble recoveries, two passes defended
2021: seven games, six total tackles
2022: nine games, 10 total tackles, three passes defended, one interception
https://twitter.com/DOLPHINSonSP/status/1687072355414360065?s=20
Miami Schedule 2023
The Dolphins will see 10 of Pro Football Focus’ top 30 wide receivers. In their division, they will see Stefon Diggs, Garrett Wilson (with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball), and Travis Kelce (with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball) twice. Last year this was a secondary you wanted to attack for your fantasy fortunes.
The Dolphins are also scheduled to play number one wide receiver Davante Adams, the Philadelphia Eagles duo A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, and the Los Angeles Chargers triplets Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Quentin Johnston. Even if they improve this secondary will be challenged all season.
Las Vegas Raiders’ Secondary
Except for Maxx Crosby, the Raiders’ defense wasn’t very good last season. The secondary was 29th in average passing yards allowed (242.9) and allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete an average of 67.63% of their passes (30th). Your fantasy fortunes were elevated by attacking the Raiders secondary last season. But the Raiders want to change that this season. They signed three new cornerbacks during the 2023 NFL free-agency period. They then acquired Marcus Peters in late July.
The question now is, who will play opposite Peters this season?
https://twitter.com/realwifiwillie/status/1688655154864967683?s=20
Jakorian Bennett
The speedy Bennett, who ran a 4.3 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine, is winning training camp. The accolades come from many different sources. Per Chris Trapasso:
Bennett was the ultra-agitating, play-anywhere teammate to first-rounder Deonte Banks. And their combined performances were almost identical. No, Bennett isn’t as long as Banks, but the former’s size actually lends itself to the natural ability to play in the slot or on the perimeter.
He has the twitch to attack the football in a hurry on in-breaking routes and comebacks and the speed and instincts to run with verticals and find the football deep down the field. The Raiders need Bennett’s elite feistiness in the secondary.
And Pro Football Focus named him as a rookie that could have the most impact in 2023:
Bennett was a much-needed addition to the Raiders’ cornerback room. He allowed a completion on just 44.4% of targets into his coverage in 2022. Given the state of the Raiders’ cornerback room prior to the draft, Bennett has a legitimate opportunity to compete for snaps on the outside right out of the gate.
Bennett was the 104th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his last season at the University of Maryland, he led Maryland and tied for third in the Big Ten in passes defended (11). Bennett also had 39 total tackles and two interceptions in his 12 games last year.
Brandon Facyson
Facyson was carted off the practice field with a leg injury on 1 August. The injury does not appear serious.
Facyson is returning to the Raiders. He was originally signed with the Raiders off the Chargers practice squad in 2021. Last season he played on a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Facyson has the most experience of anyone in the Raiders defensive back room.
Facyson made four starts with the Colts before being replaced by rookie Isaiah Rodgers Sr. He played in all 16 games last season, even after being replaced as a starter after four. He was on the field for 276 coverage snaps and 179 run defense snaps. Facyson was targeted 37 times and allowed 25 receptions. Opposing quarterbacks had a 101.5 passer rating when targeting Facyson.
For the season, he had 28 total tackles and six passes defended. In his career, Facyson has recorded one interception.
Duke Shelley
Shelley was the 205th overall pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Bears mishandled Shelley’s skill set in his three years in Chicago. Perhaps because of his size (5’9”, 176 pounds), the Bears utilized him as a slot corner. He didn’t do well.
Last season in Minnesota, he did excel. The Vikings moved Shelley to the outside, and *BAM* he became a top-five cornerback. Shelley played in 11 games and started five. He was targeted 46 times in coverage and surrendered 21 completions for 266 yards and zero touchdowns. Opposing quarterbacks had a 45.7% completion percentage when targeted, leaving with a 59.6 quarterback rating.
Shelley’s 30 tackles, one interception, and eight passes defended were career-best. He was graded as the fourth-best cornerback in 2022 by Pro Football Focus. While his strength is in man coverage, he struggles as a run defender. His run defense grade per PFF was 78th out of 109 last season and 112th out of 118 in 2021.
In his first preseason game with the Raiders, Shelley’s name was called often. He unfortunately dropped an interception in the end zone and was only credited with two tackles in the first half.
David Long Jr. (yes, there are two of them)
Long was selected 79th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He has spent four seasons with the Rams as their nickel cornerback.
Long brings a veteran and playoff experience to the Raiders. Last season he played in 12 games and started four of them. He had a career-high 21 tackles and one pass defended. Long has been in six postseason games where he collected 12 total tackles, one pass defended, and one interception returned for a touchdown.
In his 12 games last season, he was on the field for 201 coverage snaps and 86 run defense snaps. Quarterbacks targeting him had a 114-passer rating. His Pro Football Focus rating was a 53.6 overall grade, a 54.2 coverage grade, and a 46.2 run defense grade.
The Raiders AFC West is the division of pass first teams. Normally this will either make or break your fantasy fortunes depending on the secondaries proficiency. The Raiders will face two of the top-eight passing teams of last season. The Los Angeles Chargers were second passing on 65.09%, and the Kansas City Chiefs were eighth passing on 61.48% of their offensive plays.
The Raiders responded by adding to their secondary including retaining Amik Robertson, Tyler Hall, and Nate Hobbs.
Philadelphia Eagles’ Secondary
The Eagles defense was the best against the pass allowing only 171.6 average passing yards a game. Then they lost their defensive coordinator, Jonathan Gannon, and their secondary lost both starting safeties. C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps. Gardner-Johnson is the biggest loss in the secondary and a serious damage to your fantasy fortunes on the defensive side. Gardner-Johnson missed five games and still tied for the NFL lead in interceptions.
So, who is going to help elevate the secondary this year?
Reed Blankenship
This is what Pro Football Focus has to say about Blankenship:
“Blankenship enters 2023 with a great opportunity to start after a surprising rookie year in which he finished with a 79.4 overall grade. He earned an 89.4 run-defense grade, fourth best among qualified safeties, and made some plays in coverage — including an interception of Aaron Rodgers. The Eagles will still have an elite pass rush and excellent outside cornerback play. They need Blankenship to be the glue in the middle.”
– Dalton Wasserman and Jim Wyman
https://twitter.com/WordOnTheBirds/status/1689229876304265216?s=20
Last season Blankenship was signed as an undrafted rookie by the Eagles out of Middle Tennessee State. He played in 10 games, started in four, and played 291 total snaps, a rookie high. 72.4% of the defensive snaps he played as a free safety.
When he finished his season, Blankenship had 34 total tackles, two pass breakups, and that one memorable interception. Currently, Blankenship is the pre-emptive starter in the secondary.
Terrell Edmunds
Edmunds was the 28th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. In his four years with the Steelers, he has played free safety, in the box and slot.
Last season Edmunds played in 15 games. He was on the field for 886 defensive snaps. He finished the season with 70 solo tackles, three tackles for losses, two quarterback hits, two sacks, and five passes defended.
Edmunds isn’t a ball hawk, but he is dependable. His strengths are in his ability to play around the line of scrimmage. He plays the run, covers the flats, and can match up in man coverage on running backs and tight ends. He has lined up with Blankenship in the secondary in early training camp practices.
Sydney Brown
Brown was the 66th overall pick out of Illinois in the 2023 NFL Draft. Brown had the highest athleticism score of all the safeties in this year’s draft class (89).
Last season he started all 12 games at safety. He ranked third in the nation for interceptions (6) and was the highest-graded safety in the nation in man coverage (89.9).
In 2022 he finished with 59 total tackles, one forced fumble, one sack, 12 passes defended, and six interceptions. Brown can play in the box, deep safety, and slot.
We Know
A good secondary is important. A secondary will impact your fantasy fortunes on both sides of the ball. It is important to know who is in the secondary and who they are playing against.
For all that and more information, follow me on Twitter @gladysLtyler. And for the best information on slot versus wide, come to Razzball.
